• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Living The Gourmet logo

  • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Featured
    • Writings
  • Recipes
  • Wines
  • Interviews
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

Spicy Pan Seared Shrimp

Feb 5, 2020 · 12 Comments

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Today we’re preparing Spicy Pan Seared Shrimp, which we’ve coated in a Jamaican Curry and Cayenne dry rub, before searing to blackened perfection. These are great either as a meal unto themselves, or a side to a hardier entrée.

Now, I’m going to self-edit and cut my intro short, because we’ve got a lot to cover.

Ingredient Notes and Tips

1) Jamaican Curry vs Indian Curry vs Thai Curry. These ingredients are ‘not’ interchangeable. However, the real outlier of the three Thai Curry, which tastes almost nothing like its Jamaican or Indian counterparts, both of which are quite similar to one another. Unlike Jamaican or Indian curry, Thai curry is actually divided into several varieties, differentiated by heat, ranging from blistering hot to tangy sweet, with the primary ingredients in Thai curry being assorted chilies, ginger, and turmeric. By contrast, the primary flavor in Jamaican curry is allspice, and a decent amount of thyme. Neither allspice nor thyme feature in Indian cuisine, and as such almost never appear in jarred Indian curry. That said, while swapping out Jamaican curry certainly wouldn’t ‘ruin’ today’s rub, it would assuredly change the flavor profile a fair bit.

2) Garlic Powder vs Fresh. We’re using powdered over fresh for one simple reason – lack of moisture. That said, bear in mind that powdered garlic lacks the ‘tanginess’ and ‘punch’ of fresh, and has much a more ‘muted’ profile overall, having an almost ‘warming’ or ‘earthy’ tone. I also find it to be much less ‘sharp.’ This is in stark contrast to most other dry herbs, where the dry herbs typically pack a much more ‘concentrated’ dose of the herb in question. Regardless, we’re using powdered garlic for one simply for its lack of moisture. The moisture from fresh garlic would cause the dry rub to clump up, making it difficult to distribute evenly over the shrimp. Simple.

3) Ground Mustard – The Secret Ingredient. Honestly, I almost left this ingredient out, but added it in thinking “This will either ruin or make the recipe – let’s go for it.” This adds a nice heat to the background of the rub, and a bit of ‘sharpness,’ which we don’t get from the powdered garlic, which I find to be a very nice addition.

Selecting Quality Shrimp

As I said in my previous Cod Fish Stew post, selecting quality seafood is less of an artform than selecting quality meat, since there’s both less to look for and less opportunity to affect your purchase.

Nevertheless, there ‘are’ a number of key things to be on the lookout for when selecting your shrimp.

1) They shouldn’t smell like bleach. Shocking, right? Nonetheless, the telltale sign that shrimp are on their way out is a faint ‘ammonia’ or ‘bleach’ odor. This odor is sometimes hard to notice, but the more pronounced it is, the worse-for-ware the shrimp are. Ideally, you want zero odor, as any amount of this telltale pungency means the shrimp have begun to decay.

2) Buy Frozen. The truth is that unless you live right on the shore in the areas where shrimp are caught, you don’t actually have access to ‘fresh’ shrimp. Even then, many boats flash freeze their catch the moment they get to shore. Thus, when buying ‘fresh’ shrimp, you are almost guaranteed to be buying ‘thawed’ shrimp. As such, spare your shrimp the extra layer of thawing, and the resultant flavor loss, and just buy frozen.

3) The Wilder, The Tastier. Unlike salmon, whose fattier farmed counterparts naturally ‘taste’ fattier, and therefore cook up juicier, wild shrimp taste ‘cleaner’ and ‘crisper,’ with a much more mouth-filing ‘shellfish’ flavor. By contrast, farmed shrimp tend to be drabber of flavor and appearance.

4) Buy Whole, Learn to Devein. The deveining process naturally releases a lot of the shrimp’s juices. As a result, the shrimp is quite literally ‘leaking’ flavor and juiciness from the instant it’s been de-shelled and deveined. As a result, the longer they sit on ice or in a bag after being shelled and veined, the more juice and flavor they lose. For the juiciest and most flavorful shrimp possible, you need to do the dirty work yourself.

Hungry for More Seafood Recipes? Check These Out!

1) Cod Fish Stew. A classic and warming fish stew, combing wild Alaskan cod with tomatoes, garlic, and onions in a thoroughly herbed broth of noodles, this is a must-have stew for the winter months.

2) Grilled Lobster Tails. My favorite way to grill lobster tails with a dense cilantro and paprika rub, with plenty of grated garlic and red pepper, set alongside a red cabbage slaw with a creamy gremolata dressing.

3) Cajun Shrimp. My take on an iconic Cajun delicacy. Copious amounts of paprika, cayenne, and fresh lemon juice form the base of a wickedly spicy Cajun seasoning, which we’ve rubbed over the shrimp before serving cocktail-style.

To Go With Your Shrimp

1) Cocktails. Shrimp and cocktails go together like…well, like ‘shrimp and cocktails.’ That said, if you really want to fancy things up and play ‘bartender’ to your guests, our friends over at DrinkWorks have got you covered. Think of it as the “Keurig of Home Bars,” simply pop a pod into the machine, and out comes a delicious, chilled ‘adult beverage’ (no ice required) that tastes like it was mixed by a master mixologist. With dozens upon dozens of drink pod flavors to choose from, including Margarita, Cosmopolitan, Mojito, Moscow Mule, Whiskey Sour, White Russian, and Old Fashioned, among many others, there’s something for everyone.

2) Craft Beer. If you’re more of a ‘cold beer’ than a ‘fancy cocktail’ person, we’ve got you covered too. Check out my friends over at Tavour, who can supply you with a steady supply of craft beers from across America, a supply that you yourself curate based on their suggestions – or you can have them surprise you with new beers each month. This is a great way to discover delicious new craft beers, and a super-convenient way to keep yourself stocked. To learn more, check out the Tavour App. Cheers!

Print

Spicy Pan Seared Shrimp

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
  • Author: Living the Gourmet
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 2 pounds of shrimp 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs. Wild Ocean Shrimp – deveined
  • 2 tbs. Corn Oil

For the Rub:

  • 2 tsp. McCormick Sea Salt
  • ½ tsp. McCormick Pure Ground Black Pepper
  • ½ tsp. McCormick (Cayenne) Red Pepper
  • 2 tbs. McCormick Dried Oregano
  • 2 tbs. McCormick Garlic Powder
  • 2 tsps. Jamaican Curry
  • ½ tsp. McCormick Ground Mustard

Instructions

  1. De-vein and pat dry the shrimp. Place in a covered container.
  2. Combine all of the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl and pour over the shrimp and toss.
  3. Place in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours or more.
  4. Heat a large cast iron frying pan with 1 tbs. of Mazola Corn Oil.
  5. Add a few shrimps at a time, do not overcrowd the pan!
  6. Cook the shrimp about 2 – 2 ½ minutes, depending on how large the shrimps are, until the edges turn pink and the shrimp is cooked through, turning the shrimp once so that they are a beautiful golden color on each side.
  7. Place shrimp on a platter as they are cooked.
  8. Serve with desired sides; I served mine with sweet potato fries and homemade flatbread.

Notes

Prep Time does NOT include Inactive Prep Time.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4-6

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @LivingtheGourmet on Instagram and hashtag it #LTGfood

Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

If You Enjoyed Today’s Recipe…

Be sure to follow us on Instagram to stay up to date with all things Living the Gourmet, and for more great recipes, tips and tricks.

Did you make this recipe?

If so, let me know in the comments down below, or post a picture to Instagram, or to Pinterest, and I’ll give you a shoutout on Instagram, or post your pin to one of my Pinterest boards!

More from my site

  • ~ Egg Salad with Jalapeño ~~ Egg Salad with Jalapeño ~
  • Caesar Salad Featuring Wild Planet White AnchoviesCaesar Salad Featuring Wild Planet White Anchovies
  • Mini Blueberry and Lavender CakeMini Blueberry and Lavender Cake
  • Dr Pepper® Cherry Soda RibsDr Pepper® Cherry Soda Ribs
  • Review of Joy Bauer’s CookbooksReview of Joy Bauer’s Cookbooks
  • Mediterranean Nori Rolls and Pindar WineMediterranean Nori Rolls and Pindar Wine
3

Seafood

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. angiesrecipes says

    05/02/2020 at 3:33 am

    wow The shrimp looks so succulent, and flavourful! I want some too :-))

    Reply
  2. Cristina Petrini says

    05/02/2020 at 6:54 pm

    Can you tell me about spicy and shrimp? You have already won me over. Recipe approved and immediately to be copied!

    Reply
  3. DAVID J MYERS says

    05/02/2020 at 8:10 pm

    Catherine, Love shrimp prepared like this. We’re into curry but haven’t really done anything with Jamaican curry. Like the added Cayenne pepper and ground mustard as we tend to like spicy foods. With the tails off, these would make great tacos… Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

    Reply
  4. chad says

    05/02/2020 at 10:41 pm

    OMG! THESE SHRIMPS LOOK DELICIOUS…MAKING THIS ON FRIDAY FOR SURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

    Reply
  5. Terri Steffes says

    06/02/2020 at 2:51 pm

    Ooo! This looks good! I love how quickly it comes together, too. I can imagine this being on my Valentine dinner plate!

    Reply
  6. ESTHER REGAILLARD says

    06/02/2020 at 3:12 pm

    I can’t do spicy but i sure do love me some shrimp! This recipe looks good enough to try for dinner tonight! Thank you!

    Reply
  7. Heather says

    06/02/2020 at 4:03 pm

    We love shrimp! This recipe is going into our rotation for sure! Sounds yummy!

    Reply
  8. Yeah Lifestyle says

    06/02/2020 at 9:20 pm

    This looks so mouthwatering indeed! You are right about using frozen shrimps as to me they taste a lot fresher than the fresh ones I get here as I live in the mainland.

    Reply
  9. Marysa says

    07/02/2020 at 12:25 am

    This sounds like such a flavorful recipe! I think this would be good to serve next time we have company over.

    Reply
  10. Ashley R says

    07/02/2020 at 1:47 am

    This looks phenomenal. I never knew the differences in the curry! How neat.

    Reply
  11. Dan "Jay" Reyes says

    07/02/2020 at 3:54 am

    I don’t eat shrimp but these pictures makes me wanna try 🙂

    Reply
  12. Raissa says

    07/02/2020 at 1:21 pm

    Looks like a great recipe to try.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to LTG

The heart of our home lies within the kitchen. For us, it is so much more than a place where meals are created; it is where memories are made over meals that are meant to be shared. It was from this belief that Living the Gourmet was born. Read More...

Looking for Something?

Subscribe to the LTG Newsletter

Find Your Influence

Copyright © 2022 · Cravings Pro

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

Living The Gourmet
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.